


The Start of it All

by Lilviscious



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bat Family, M/M, Mature!Damian, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 13:37:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8210516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilviscious/pseuds/Lilviscious
Summary: An unbelievable transgression takes place as their mature hearts synchronize at the place where it all started.





	

It's been several years since they entered their father's company as employees. By now they have risen to the top, each in their own way, but still ended up in the same office room as co-heads of research and development. Tim couldn't have been more appaled by the idea if not for the fact that twenty-three year old Damian had matured into a man of codes and morals and less hatred for who once was his predecessor. Thank _God_.

Their siblings often make fun of them for it however. How brave for little Timmy it was to spend nine or more hours a day in a confined room with the devil's spawn. How admirable of Baby bat to endure weeks and months and years of Mister Neurotic's ticks himself. Tim complained about _that_ part. He wasn't _that_ neurotic. Even when he thinks back of their family meal where the conversation occured, he shakes his head and mumbles underneath his breath as he rubs and rubs and rubs with a soft cotton cloth at his platinum fountain pen.

"If you actually utilize the stationary to mark the papers for approval," his younger but taller brother says from across the room, "I would be less inclined to stab you with said stationary." The words lack their venom, the snake hissing at him in the room by long tame and unimpressive. Tim glances his way only to sweep the tip of his pen across the paper. He has learnt when to pick his battles and this was not one of them. Damian is right: he has been losing precious time contemplating the past, again. He has been doing that a lot lately. Part of him wishes he didn't know why or when it started, but he does as clear as it was yesterday.

Tim has been noticing all kinds of small gestures from Damian at the office. Kind gestures, thoughtful gestures, caring gestures and.. romantic gestures? He doesn't comprehend how to be more upfront with it, but it almost feels like Damian is trying to get on his good side. And Tim can't figure out _why_. What is there to gain from getting him coffee every morning or telling him to sneak in an hour's sleep while Damian stands in for him at the two o'clock meeting? Tim has refused most of his offers so far, fearing the leverage his brother might be building. It's even more unnerving than every time Damian attempted to take his life. At least that made sense, kind of, and had him prepared. This new behaviour is unexpected and uncalled for.

\------------------- 

It's monday. The worst day of the week according to Tim as he sits himself down at his desk at seven in the morning after a long night of patrolling Gotham's streets together with Dick. It was delightful to spend time with his older brother whom he didn't see as far often as he used to when he was younger, but getting older meant more responsibilities during the day and less time for trips to Blüdhaven. Dick noticed his fatigue quite early during the night and had confronted him, had advised him to take things easy and allow himself to enjoy the more simple things in life. They are going to watch a movie in two weeks, a Jurassic Park marathon.

Tim shows a little nostalgic smile as his younger brother enters the vacinity with two cups, as expected, of coffee. One is placed in front of him and Tim reaches for it as he is used to by now, but realizes that Damian isn't preparing his laptop at his desk as he should be by now. Instead, the man lingers in front of his desk. Tim takes a sip of his coffee and waits patiently for the other to explain himself. The silence stretches a tad longer until Damian shifts his weight from side to side.

That's.. unusual, Tim notices curiously. "Is there something I can assist you with?"

"Dr-.." Damian catches himself with furrowed brows and an uncertain look, correcting himself in a way that leaves Tim a little.. nervous. Ever since a young age Damian has been proud and arrogant. Whenever he is in a doubt, the entire family gets a little uneasy. As the only present relative in the room, Tim wonders what to prepare for.

"Timothy. Have dinner with me."

Oh. Tim sets his cup of coffee down quickly before it might slip from his fingers in his dumbfounded state. That certainly was not in his list of optional subjects to be discussed or questioned about. Dinner is not something they haven't shared with the two of them before. However, judging by the deepening colour of Damian's cheeks this definition of dinner has another ring to it. Christ.

"A business related dinner?" Tim opts just in case he might be too paranoid about his interpretation. One shake of his brother's head is enough to brighten his cheeks as well.  
"Ah, well, then surely.. you.. don't mean as a.. date?" 

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do." Damian confirms with a sudden rush of confidence that has always left Tim impressed. The man's broad shoulders straighten and although his cheeks are still glowing, his eyes are set on his and pulling him in.

"Why-"

"Why is not a question to be answered at this point as it is not relevant. What is most relevant however is that I have concluded over the past seven months that you have increased your smiling at my person with 45% and have been willing in the past three months to accept my coffee and sandwiches as a token of kinship. Therefor it is but to be expected that this change has to be discussed. Over dinner." 

Tim is basically floored by his brother's conclusive explanation. He has never doubted Damian's calculative skills before and finds sweat gathering at his brow at the sound of those statistics, but also takes notice of the quickened beating of his heart. It is a rhythm he is familiar with, albeit he hasn't experienced it ever since getting upclose and personal with Stephanie. Are those butterflies fluttering in his stomach? Oh Lord!

"I.. I suppose that is quite right." Tim nearly stutters with a sudden fascination for his e-mail. "Dinner is fine."

Damian nods in confirmation of their date, something of a habit that Robin will never be able to shake, even if in a private room with the object of his affection agreeing to the terms of his intentions. "Very well. I will pick you up tomorrow evening at seven."

\---------------------------------------

They try to hide their growing infatuation and succeed fairly well with their constant bickering and hissing during the few family meals per week. It isn't until one particular rowdy family gathering that they fall silent with their eyes lingering on one another, and another pair of eyes light up in recognition. And they should have known, Tim tells himself that night when he is preparing to grab his coat to return to his own appartment and Cassandra emerges from the shadows of the hallway closet with leering eyes, that she /knows/. Of course she knows.

"Timothy," she whispers, a name she has never laid on her tongue before, a name reserved for family friend Alfred and a man that has recently been promoted to 'maybe-not-so-annoying-and-someday-the-end-of-me'-Damian. Tim's cheeks flush instantly and even though he is able to cover them by wrapping his scarf tight around the lower part of his face it is impossible to ignore her questioning look.

"Timo-" she whispers again only to have her mouth covered by Tim's warm, sweaty palm. He's skittish, she notices straight away with a lifting of the corners of her mouth. Now she definitely knows, Tim realizes with slight panic.

Behind him a pair of slender arms fall over his shoulders, breasts pressing to his back without a care in the world. "Oh Timmy!" Stephanie sighs with batting eyelashes. "You didn't really think you could hide it from us, did you?" Well, he sure hoped so.

"Why are you ambushing me?" Tim asks in return with a quick look down the hall to see if any of his brothers have followed them out into the hallway. 

"Because you're our beloved little brother!" Stephanie beams and prods at Tim's frowning brow. "Little brother," Cassandra echoes softly with a firm nod. "Besides, I have gazed into those lovey-dovey eyes of yours myself. I recognise them from a mile away. You can't hide from me, _loverboy_." Stephanie grins with a prod to his cheek and a giggle passes her lips as he groans in desperation.

\------------------- 

"So, when's the wedding?" 

Damian slows his steps up the grand staircase during his search for Tim and turns in his brother's general direction with a cursory glare before resuming his quest.

"Aw, does that mean I won't get an invitation?" Jason presses an offended hand to his chest and leans against Dick's body to keep from supposedly fainting. "Did you hear that, Dickie? You better catch that bouquet instead of me or there'll be hell to pay!" 

Dick hardly stiffles a chuckle, but nudges Jason nevertheless. "Be nice-" The smile on his face rapidly vanishes as Damian passes them by with a steady pace. "Now you made him mad!" Dick's voice accuses in the growing distance, a dismissing snort barely audibly as Damian reaches the grand clock and enters his safe haven.

No sudden ambushes lie ahead in the cave that has always brought him soltitude. He ventures down the staircase with hammering heart in his chest that jumps in his throat at the sudden sight of Tim sitting at the console of their father. For a moment Damian thinks of retreating, but he has longed for a private moment with him all evening, all week, all month. 

Tim's hair is ruffled by the hands that continuously and restlessly roam through them. By the time he acknowledges Damian's presence, the other has reached the console and has entered what used to be his personal space. Tim stands swiftly, body tense and eyes shifting to the staircase expecting their nosy siblings. None appear however. His exhales suddenly and closes his eyes in relief that for now they are safe and alone. Droplets falling from the high roof of the cafe echo in the far distance, a soothing sound to the both of them as their breathing slowly matches, bodies drawn to each other's source of heat in this damp and chilly environment. Damian's cologne is overwhelming: warm, musky, manly and dizzying. His balance wavers only for a second, but two firm hands engulf his narrow waist to keep him steady. His touch his scorching hot.

“Did you know this is where it all started?” Tim asks with a light chuckle.

He leans his head back in order to watch Damian's penetrative gaze admire him. Damian tilts his head to the side, ears twitching and eyes shifting, but no one can interrupt them now. Good, because Damian is at the end of his tether. For a moment Tim is amazed by the strength that lifts him from the ground and rests him gently on the cave's mainframe. His legs spread without a second thought and welcome his presence further, passing his personal zone into his intimate zone.

“This place was the start of a lot of things,” Damian affirms with fingers slipping between his dress shirt and pants onto Tim's warm skin.

Tim supposes that’s true. This is where they first met. This is where they first sparred and come in physical contact as well as emotional contact when Damian first tried to kill him and then when Bruce went missing and Dick took over and no one was certain of their role anymore. There had been so much resentment between them, so much pain and hurt and jealousy.

But one incident stands out the most to him, as it always will. That incident over three years ago during one of their patrols in which Tim was brought in by a cussing and groaning Jason and it wasn't certain if Tim would even make it through the night and Tim thought he had imagined it, but Dick had later on confirmed that Damian had monitored him the entire night and had refused to swap places with Alfred.

"I thought you didn't care," Tim says softly, hand pressing against the soft fabric of Damian's jacket. 

"At first I didn't," Damian confesses calmly, hands not leaving their comfortable place on Tim's waist. He has started tugging on his belt loops however, a small sign of impatience that causes Tim to scoot closer to the edge of the console and therefor closer to Damian's front. 

"Father cared. Grayson cared. At one point I figured that had to be for a reason."

Tim gives a sudden laugh, head tilting backward shortly and both hands steadying himself on Damian's shoulders. "Thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt," he states with a tilt of one eyebrow and a smirk that darkens Damian's eyes.

From where he’s standing, or sitting by now, it’s hard to tell that things are so different at present; Tim doesn’t think much has actually changed, that is, until their noses bump with the lightest touch and Damian's breath is hot and moist on his lips which are suddenly quite dry, but mostly longing, longing for lips he has punched, kicked and split open before, but now solely wants to caress with his own.

"Timothy.." His name is a soft exhale and rapidly followed by a clash of lips and teeth and tongues.

Their energy collides and swirls around each other until they unify into a source of adrenaline that makes Tim's heart thunder in his chest.

In the barely lit cave where their past lies, they whisper their names and promises for a better future. They whisper hope for a new start.


End file.
